Portable light



March 22, 1966 w. K. BEHRINGER ET AL 3,242,331

PORTABLE LIGHT Filed Jan. 27, 1964 5 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTORS WRAY K. BEHRINGER BY GEORGE W. BURHOE W wajL A March 1966 w. K. BEHRINGER ETAL 3,

PORTABLE LIGHT 3 Sheets-Sheet z '8 INVENTORS WRAY K. BEHRINGER BY GEORGE w. BURHOE WM wwa Mah- Filed Jan. 27, 1964 March 1966 w. K. BEHRINGER ET AL 3,242,331

PORTABLE LIGHT Filed Jan. 27, 1964 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTORS WRAY naeunmesn BY GEORGE w. BURHOE United States Patent 3,242,331 PORTABLE LIGHT Wray K. Behringer, 494 Oak Dale, Parma, Olno and George W. Bur-hoe, 6664 Newbury, Parma Heights,

Ohio

Filed Jan. 27, 1964, Ser. No. 340,304 2 Claims. '(Cl. 24011.4)

This invention relates to portable lights.

In this invention, the portable light is comprised of a transparent cylindrical casing. A fluorescent lamp is positioned in the casing. The casing is provided with at least two holes adjacent to and spaced from each end thereof. A bracket means is provided with a number of tabs equal to the number of holes adjacent each end of the casing. The tabs on the bracket means fit into the holes in the casing. A pair of resilient washers are positioned in the casing and snugly surround the fluorescent lamp. A pair of resilient caps snugly fit over the ends of the casing.

An object of the invention is to provide a bracket means for a portable light that is resistant to shock.

Another object of the invention is to provide a bracket means for a portable light that centers the socket blocks for the fluorescent lamp.

Another object of the invention is to provide a bracket means for a portable light that prevents the casing from becoming noncircular.

Another object of the invention is to provide resilient means on the outside and inside of the portable light which will prevent breakage of parts inside the light when the light is dropped.

The foregoing and other objects of the invention will become apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is an elevational view of the portable light,

FIGURE 2 is an elevational view of the portable light with the end caps removed,

FIGURE 3 is a View taken on the line 33 of FIG- URE 2,

FIGURE 4 is a side elevational view of one of the brackets, and

FIGURE 5 is a view taken on the line 55 of FIG- URE 4.

In the drawings, generally designates a portable light including a transparent cylindrical casing 11 and a fluorescent lamp 12 positioned in the casing. Each end of the fluorescent lamp 12 has a pair of plugs 13. A socket block 14 is positioned at each end of the fluorescent lamp 12 and receives the plugs 13. A switch 15 is positioned in one end of the casing and has a push button 16 concentric with the longitudinal axis of the casing.

The casing 11 is provided with four spaced holes 17 adjacent to and spaced from each end thereof and all of the holes extend at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the casing. A bracket 18 includes a bight 19, legs 20 and extensions 21. A tab 22 is made integral with each extension 21 of the bracket 18. The bracket 18 is provided with a central opening 23 in the bight 19 thereof. At the right end of the portable light 10 as viewed in FIGURE 2 the central opening 23 of the bracket 18 receives the push button 16 and the tabs 22 project into one pair of opposed holes 17 in the casing 11. Another bracket 24 identical in structure to the bracket 18 has a central opening 25 and a pair of tabs 26 and the central opening receives the push button 16. The bracket 24 is arranged at right angles to the bracket 18 and the tabs 26 project into the other pair of opposed holes 17 in the casing 11.

At the left end of the portable light 10 as viewed in FIGURE 2 the central opening 23 of the bracket 18 re- Patented Mar. 22, 1966 ceives a threaded shank 27 and the tabs 22 project into one pair of opposed holes 17 in the casing 11. The central opening 25 of the bracket 24 also receives the threaded shank 27 and the bracket 24 is arranged at right angles to the bracket 18 and the tabs 26 project into the other pair of opposed holes 17 in the casing 11. The advantages of the brackets 18 and 24 are as follows: (1) They offer resistance to shock when the portable light 10 is dropped. (2) They center the socket blocks 14 for the fluorescent lamp 12. (3) They prevent the casing 11 from becoming noncircular. Experience has shown that without the brackets 18 and 24 the casing 11 will become elliptical in shape. A single bracket may be substituted for the brackets 18 and 24 but the bracket must have at least two tabs and there must be a hole in the casing for each tab.

A pair of resilient washers 28 are fabricated of rubber or plastic. The washers 28 are positioned in the casing 11 and snugly surround the fluorescent lamp 12. A pair of resilient caps 29 are fabricated of rubber or plastic. The caps 29 are snugly fitted over the ends of the casing 11. The advantage of the resilient washers 28 and the resilient caps 29 is that they will prevent breakage of the fluorescent lamp 12 and the parts inside the casing 11, when the portable light 10 is dropped. The portable light 10 has an electric wire 30 that goes through one of the caps 29 and a ballast or transformer 31 is connected to the wire and the wire is provided with an electrical plug 32.

When it is desired to operate the portable light 10 the electric plug 32 is plugged into an electrical outlet. The push button 16 is then pushed inwardly. This causes the fluorescent lamp 12 to light up.

The embodiment of the invention shown and described is merely illustrative as it is the intention of the applicants to cover every embodiment of the invention that is within the scope of the appended claims.

A nut 33 is in threaded engagement with the threaded shank 27 and bears against the respective bracket 18 and holds the parts in place. A threaded shank 34 is made integral with the switch 15 and a nut 35 is in threaded engagement with the threaded shank 34 and bears against the respective bracket 18 and holds the parts in place.

What is claimed is:

1. A light comprising a transparent cylindrical casing provided with four spaced holes adjacent to and spaced from each end thereof and said four holes extending at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the casing, a fluorescent lamp positioned in the casing, electrical con duit means connected to the fluorescent lamp, a first bracket positioned at each end of the casing and provided with a pair of tabs on the ends thereof and the tabs projecting into one pair of opposed holes in the casing, and a second bracket positioned at each end of the casing and provided with a pair of tabs on the ends thereof and the second bracket being arranged at right angles to the first bracket and the tabs projecting into the other pair of opposed holes in the casing, the light being portable.

2. A light comprising a transparent cylindrical casing provided with at least two spaced holes adjacent to and spaced from each end thereof and said holes extending at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the casing, a fluorescent lamp positioned in the casing, electrical conduit means connected to the fluorescent lamp, a shank projecting from each end of the casing, and a bracket positioned at each end of the casing and each bracket being provided with a central opening and with a number of tabs equal to the number of holes, the shanks projecting through the central openings in the brackets 3 4 and the tabs projecting into the holes in the casing, the 3,136,489 6/1964 Oharenko 240-11.4 light being portable. 3,140,054 7/1964 Oharenko 24011.4 X 3,154,252 10/1964 BaJake 24011.4

References Cited by the Examiner 5 Primary Examiner.

2 2 0 3 195 Cline 40 1 C. R. RHODES, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A LIGHT COMPRISING A TRANSPARENT CYLINDRICAL CASING PROVIDED WITH FOUR SPACED HOLES ADJACENT TO AND SPACED FROM EACH END THEREOF AND SAID FOUR HOLES EXTENDING AT RIGHT ANGLES TO THE LONGITUDINAL AXIS OF THE CASING, A FLUORESCENT LAMP POSITIONED IN THE CASING, ELECTRICAL CONDUIT MEANS CONNECTED TO THE FLUORESCENT LAMP, A FIRST BRACKET POSITIONED AT EACH END OF THE CASING AND PROVIDED WITH A PAIR OF TABS ON THE ENDS THEREOF AND THE TABS PROJECTING INTO ONE PAIR OF OPPOSED HOLES IN THE 